My cousins have new babies every time I turn around, and this year one got married to a woman who brought two more in. 12 of the 26 are at that gathering. We've always had the rule where we buy no gifts for the adults, but the adults buy for the kids. Well, at this point I have one kid, my stepson. All the rest of the kids come from one leg of the family (my mother's sister's three kids have made all the babies), so they would all be buying for their nieces/nephews/grandkids anyway and don't bring gifts for them or their own kids to this gathering, they do their gifting at their own immediate family gathering before this one starts. My one kid is their only extra. I end up with 12 extra that I wouldn't be buying for otherwise. My brother and his wife stopped buying a few years ago, when our side plus her side got up close to 30 kids, too. I think I'm going to go next. I'm the only one in my generation who buys for all of them at this gathering. Last time I brought it up my aunt said "But we bought for you and your brother when you were kids." Well, there were four of us then for the majority of the years - my two cousins and me and my brother, so my brother and I were the only two they had to buy for that weren't their kids. I have a third cousin (the one who just got married) on that line and he is 16 years younger than me, and my mother's brother has a son 12 years younger than me. So I've got double the number of kids to buy for than they had, more if you exclude the 3 they would have bought for anyway as they were their kids. Anyway. Rant rant rant. I'm obviously worked up over this.

If this were the case for me, I'd be hitting the dollar store.

While I did similar with my family and friends (but have never had more than 8 kids to buy for), it all ended when the kid turned 18. Except for one friend. But I don't even buy for my nieces anymore.

Yeah. We cut off the kids when they turn 18 or graduate from college if enrolled. All of these kids are 14 and under. Over half are 8 and under. My mom says she has some great idea that won't break the bank that she wants to talk to me about tonight after work. I'm holding off on bargain shopping until then.

even just reading that.

Dagmar

Tuesday morning, at 156.5. So much for the goal of staying below 155.

I have to meet with the contractor today at 9 AM, which gives me hope, because it means they will resume work again. Maybe tomorrow. In the meantime I just had to sign an agreement with the relocation service affiliated with my insurance provider, since the hotel room renewal runs out on December 16th and it looks as though I'll be staying past that time.

I need something good to happen. And it would help if it was not just on a personal level, but also on a national level. I can hardly stand to skim the headlines these days, and I remember when that was a less fraught activity.

Shannon, when I looked at that block paragraph, I felt like I needed a diagram, like those family trees put in books at the front of tangled stories.

Yes, me too. With all the passion and feelings running high. Shannon

The only good news I have is that the excised lump is indeed a lipoma. Now I just feel like an old dog. A fat, old dog, because my weight went up.

That is good news, though, Allison. Very good!!

Good news, Allison! Yay!

Boy, do I understand what you mean. It's a horrible double-edged sword, that staying current on national events has become more important than ever as so many of us now feel obligated to serve as watchdogs against these impending changes. But every new headline causes a tiny new injury, at least that's how it feels to me.

Allison, your post made me snort. I had a small lipoma excised years ago, and when they told me what it was, I said "I'm like an old fat Labrador!" My dermatologist said "you are way too excited about this".

So, I've had a recent challenge to my binging-when-alone issue. DH had to suddenly leave to visit his mother, and will be gone about a week. I did quite well over the weekend, ate a few odd things but stayed within calories. I felt good about that. Then last night, didn't stay within any sort of boundaries. The difference: the workday. At least now I'm teasing the issue out a bit (trying to make a silver lining).

Very funny!

There's bound to be a silver lining somewhere, JayZeeJay.

I'm going to see the nurse tomorrow morning. I'll have lost weight since last time. I'm still feeling very good on the high fat/low carb diet.

Are any of you on vitamin D? Two questions. Does it help with sluggishness? (My friend is taking industrial levels and says she feels a lot better. And she is outside a lot.) And does taking it with calcium improve absorption/efficiency or just it just work the other way round (vit D helps calcium absorption).

Coming home was terrible. Predictably, the final leg of our flight (to Detroit) was delayed and delayed. Finally landed at DTW right around 2 am. I was ready to go sleep it off at a nearby motel, but DH insisted on renting a car and driving home. Another 2 hours through the horribly snowy roads, going 45 mph all the way, often with huge semi trucks as the only other vehicles braving the road. UGH. JUST UGGHHH. I've been mad at him for 2 days over his insistence on that final indignity.

Weight is up from the overlarge breakfasts and indulgent dinners I had while in San Diego. Not terribly high but clearly I'm not going to see the 120's side of 130 again any time soon.

Shannon, you make me glad we're Jewish. And have a small family.

Wednesday, waking up around 2:30 AM and unable to sleep any longer.

Unsurprisingly, weight at 156.7, with a corporate Christmas luncheon on the way this afternoon.

The insurance company and relocation service is asking when, when, when will I finally move out of the hotel. I met with the contractor yesterday and he couldn't give me a completion date. He did agree that it would be done "by Christmas." Delayed anger over this is what woke me up. And also, feeling too warm. And maybe too much caffeine before bedtime.

Birchie - I have taken large doses of Vitamin D before even when outside a lot. It did make me feel more energized. I should start taking it again, as I'm nothing but sluggish these days.

Saef - I'm sorry this is all dragging out about your apartment.

Andrea - glad you are home safe, the process to get there sounds terrible.

JZJ - I hope MIL is okay, and that DH gets home soon.

I've been mightily out of sorts this last few weeks. It isn't shaking off. The grey, rainy days this week haven't been helping.

I take 1000mg of vitamin D daily. I have heard it does help with the absorption of calcium--but my doctor has told me not to take calcium, but rather eat foods high in calcium. I can't say that I feel any different taking vitamin D, but my recent bone density test had good results.